Spreading Rumors in China Can Mean Jail Time Under New Rules

Spreading rumors online could get you three years in prison in China, with the penalties rising if the rumor is reposted more than 500 times or viewed by more than 5,000 people.

So says a judicial interpretation issued Monday by China’s Supreme People’s Court and Procuratorate, the first nationwide ruling of its kind.

The Chinese Communist Party has waged campaigns against rumors for years, but this is the first time existing laws against defamation and instigating instability have been formally extended to the internet.

“In recent years, the internet has been used to maliciously fabricate facts and damage the reputation of others … and to concoct rumors that mislead the people, causing serious disruptions of social order and even mass incidents,” said Supreme Court spokesman Sun Jungong in a statement that was read on a live broadcast to maximize its effect.

Under the Chinese system, a judicial interpretation is the equivalent of a Supreme Court ruling and carries great weight. The ruling immediately drew concern from free-speech advocates who have been worried about a wave of arrests of prominent microbloggers.

“This is the first time the government has clarified what is illegal [online],’’ said Liu Xiaoyuan, a prominent human rights lawyer in Beijing.

Chinese censors routinely remove content they deem offensive or sensitive — postings that criticize the Communist Party or leadership, or deal with Tibet or dissident activity — but they often cannot keep up with the flood of information.